House Bill 491

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-519, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE SHERIFF AND HIS DEPUTIES IN ANY COUNTY HAVING A POPULATION OF SEVENTY THOUSAND OR MORE TO USE RADAR SPEED DETECTION EQUIPMENT UPON THE PUBLIC STREETS, ROADS AND HIGHWAYS OF THE COUNTY LYING OUTSIDE OF THE LIMITS OF ANY INCORPORATED MUNICIPALITY; TO REDUCE THE MINIMUM POPULATION REQUIREMENTS OF MUNICIPALITIES WHOSE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO USE RADAR SPEED DETECTION EQUIPMENT ON FEDERALLY DESIGNATED HIGHWAYS LYING WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 63-3-519, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

63-3-519. (1) It is unlawful for any person or peace officer or law enforcement agency, except the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, to purchase or use or allow to be used any type of radar speed detection equipment upon any public street, road or highway of this state. However, such equipment may be used:

(a) By municipal law enforcement officers within a municipality having a population of two thousand (2,000) or more upon the public streets of the municipality;

(b) By any college or university campus police force within the confines of any campus wherein more than two thousand (2,000) students are enrolled;

(c) By municipal law enforcement officers in any municipality having a population in excess of fourteen thousand (14,000) according to the latest federal census on federally designated highways lying within the corporate limits; and

(d) By the sheriff and deputy sheriffs of any county having a population of seventy thousand (70,000) or more, according to the latest federal decennial census, upon the public streets, roads and highways of the county lying outside of the limits of any incorporated municipality.

(2) The Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol shall not set up radar on highways within municipalities with a population in excess of fourteen thousand (14,000) according to the latest federal census.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2004.